Epipremnum plant named ‘UFM10’

ABSTRACT

A new  Epipremnum  plant particularly distinguished by having compact and dense growth habit, dark green leaves that are wider, in relation to length, than other cultivars, vines with large diameters, and vines with shorter internodes, is disclosed.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF FEDERAL RESEARCH SUPPORT

This invention was made with government support under FLA-APO-04158 awarded by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, USDA. The government has certain rights in the invention.

Genus and species: Epipremnum aureum.

Variety denomination: ‘UFM10’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Epipremnum plant, botanically known as Epipremnum aureum and hereinafter referred to by the variety denomination of ‘UFM10’. ‘UFM10’ originated by exposing cuttings of Epipremnum aureum cultivar ‘Marble Queen’, not patented, to gamma-ray radiation from a Colbalt 60 source at the Florida Accelerator Services and Technology Division of Plant Industry; Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in Gainesville, Fla. After treatment, the cuttings were grown in a controlled environment in Apopka, Fla. The inventors selected the new Epipremnum approximately 1 year later as a single branch mutation within the population of treated plants.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by tip cuttings in a controlled environment in Apopka, Fla. has shown that the unique features of this new Epipremnum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar have not been applied for. ‘UFM10’ has not been made publicly available more than one year prior to the filing of this application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘UFM10’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘UFM10’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘UFM10’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Epipremnum:

-   -   1. Compact and dense growth habit.     -   2. Dark green leaves that are wider, in relation to length, than         other cultivars.     -   3. Vines with large diameters.     -   4. Vines with shorter internodes.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new Epipremnum plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which show the plant's overall appearance. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Epipremnum.

FIG. 1 shows a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘UFM10’ grown in a 12.5 cm diameter container.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up view of a typical vine of ‘UFM10’.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘UFM10’ with color terminology in accordance with The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary significance are used. The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in containers in Apopka, Fla. during the spring and early summer in a glass-covered greenhouse. Plants were grown using practices and under conditions that approximate those generally used in commercial Epipremnum production. During the production of the plants, day temperature ranged from about 29° C. to 35° C., night temperature ranged from a bout 18° C. to 26° C. and light levels were about 2,500 foot-candles. Plants were grown from single stem cuttings and were about 6 months old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:     -   -   Botanical.—Epipremnum aureum.         -   Common name.—Pothos. -   Parentage: Epipremnum aureum cultivar ‘Marble Queen’ (not patented) -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tip or eye cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 20–25 days at 25° C.             to 35° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 21–28 days at 15° C.             to 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 35 days             at 25° C. to 35° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 50 days             at 15° C. to 30° C.         -   Root description.—Medium thick, fleshy; typical of species. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant/growth habit.—Low growing, trailing. Plants are full,             compact and have dense foliage.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of leaf plane.—8–10 cm.         -   Crop time.—From sticking 12 unrooted cuttings per container,             about 12 to 16 weeks are required to produce finished plants             in 15 cm containers.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 20 to 25 cm.         -   Stem description.—Length: About 35 to 50 cm. Diameter: About             6 to 7 mm. Internode length: About 4 to 6 cm. Texture:             smooth. Branching: stems do not produce secondary branches.             Color, immature: 137A. Color, mature: 139A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaves.—Arrangement: alternate. Length: About 7 to 12 cm.             Width: About 6.5 to 9 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acuminate.             Base: Cordate. Aspect: Mostly flat to undulate. Margin:             Entire. Texture: Smooth, waxy; somewhat glossy. Color             immature expanding leaves upper surface: 137A; lower surface             137C. Color mature leaves upper surface: 139A; lower surface             137C.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 5 to 8 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 to             5 mm. Color: 137C. Strength: Strong; flexible. Wing length:             4.5 to 7.5 cm. Wing diameter, base: About 5 mm. Wing color             newer leaves, inner surface: 155A. Wing color newer leaves,             outer surface: 155A. Wing color mature leaves (5^(th) to             6^(th) leaf down from tip): 200A/B. -   Root description: Fleshy, highly branched; 155D. -   Inflorescence description: Inflorescence development has not been     observed on plants of the new Epipremnum. -   Disease resistance: Resistance to pathogens common to Epipremnum has     not been observed on plants of the new Epipremnum.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND KNOWN CULTIVARS

‘UFM10’ differs from plants of the parent, the cultivar ‘Marble Queen’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. ‘UFM10’ has leaves that are not variegated while the parent         plant has variegated leaves.     -   2. ‘UFM10’ has vines that are thicker than the vines of the         parent plant.     -   3. ‘UFM10’ has vines with shorter internodes than the internodes         of the parent plant.

Comparisons were made with the Epipremnum variety ‘Jade’ (not patented). In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Apopka, Fla., plants of ‘UFM10’ differed from plants of the cultivar ‘Jade’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. ‘UFM10’ has leaves that are wider, in relation to length,         compared to plants of the cultivar ‘Jade’.     -   2. ‘UFM10’ has vines with shorter internodes than the internodes         of the cultivar ‘Jade’.     -   3. ‘UFM10’ has vines that are thicker than the vines of the         cultivar ‘Jade’. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Epipremnum plant named ‘UFM10’ as shown and described herein. 